What Kids Need: Community Activities

Remember those “good kids” that participate in extracurricular activities? 41% of those same kids also participate in clubs and organizations outside of school, according to the Search-Institute of Minneapolis. Take some time to find out that things are available in your community for kids. They may want to join a club or an organization, participate in a community activity that helps senior citizens, or clean up an area once a month. There are numerous opportunities, but the benefits are astronomical for kids. They are with those “good kids” again, and they also have the opportunity to serve others. When we teach kids to help others for one or more hours a week, we teach them to add value to others, be grateful for what they have, and help others better their lives. What better message can we send than this?

As a young person, I participated in Boy Scouts, DeMolay, and several community activities within the community. Some of them were once a year, and others several times a year. It was always fun for me, and I met people that I would have never met without my involvement in helping others. My dad volunteered to be our scout leader and led all of our meetings. It was fun to see him in that role, and I still remember it today. If transportation is a challenge, get with some other parents and carpool, so you don’t have to drive them each time to the meetings. You will see your child’s benefits and see them blossom in their excitement of helping others and adding value.

Kids can write letters of encouragement to the elderly, run or walk for a particular cause, adopt a stretch of road through an organization, donate food to a food bank, or volunteer to help with the Special Olympics in their area. There are so many choices, and kids are good at coming up with their own.

In a related link, I write about Resilience in Kids: Clubs & Activities here Resilience in Kids: Clubs & Activities – Dr. Rich Patterson (pattersonphd.com)

Here is a link to some ideas on Community Activities 68 Great Community Service Ideas (for Kids, Teens & Adults) – IcebreakerIdeas

Yours for Better Parenting,

Rich